


A Hunt for a Heart

by Tokinya



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fantasy AU, I may have taken some liberties esp with the bodypainting one ahaha, Keeping each other warm, M/M, Mage Tsukki, body painting, warrior Tanaka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-05-24 03:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6140509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tokinya/pseuds/Tokinya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukishima wasn't expecting to fall in love, much less get along with the brute of a warrior, Tanaka. But things happen and it takes a cooperative hunt for them to set things moving.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LinusPearl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinusPearl/gifts).



The contents of the glass vial changed from a dark shade of blue to a faint hue of green just as Tsukishima added the lizard’s tail in, popping on a cork to cap it before handing it to his customer. “Apply this on your wound over a few days and it should expel the poison and hasten the healing.”

With a grateful thanks and a few gold pieces dropped on the table, the customer left the decrepit tent, leaving Tsukishima to be alone once more. The few coins scattered on the table only reminded Tsukishima of his plight as a poor travelling mage, living day by day while trying to save up. He needed more money and just selling measly potions or spells wasn’t bringing in the income he required for his brother’s treatment. Offensive magic wasn’t his strong point so he couldn’t hunt for the materials he needed, leaving only the choice of purchasing them from a merchant but the items were just too expensive for him to afford. With a sharp breath of a frustrated sigh, Tsukishima pocketed the coins and left the tent, muttering out a protection barrier to keep unwanted guests out. Nothing like a slice of cake at the town’s finest bakery to perk him up.

 

 

Tanaka gripped the hilt of his blade, giving it a tentative swing before sheathing it back into the scabbard. The sword had been a gift from his father, made by the finest blacksmiths and handed down from generation to generation till it finally reached his awaiting hands. Made from the finest materials, many of which Tanaka could barely remember the names of, it had been his trusty companion for years.

“Ryuu!”

“Noya!” Their boisterous greetings were a common occurrence in their little hometown and with Tanaka’s family coming from a line of warriors and Noya’s from a line of blacksmiths, the townsfolk had nothing but respect for them. Even if they seemed like they had in-built loudspeakers that were never switched off.

“Did you see the latest poster?! There’s like a 10,000 gold reward on that Class A monster’s head!” Nishinoya waved said poster in Tanaka’s face, his entire frame vibrating with unconcealed excitement.

“Of course I did! Who do you think I am? I’m gonna take it down like all the other class A beasts! Maybe after this I’ll try taking on some class S jobs!”

The ruckus brought Tsukishima’s attention to where the poster board was, clicking his tongue in disdain at the noise. Were they actually serious about taking down a cursed behemoth? “Ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath, aggressively shovelling his fork into his cake. “Only reckless idiots would go in charging mindlessly at that thing.”

Tanaka’s ear pricked up automatically as he swivelled round to face the source of the insult, head tipped upwards with the most intimidating teeth-baring glare he could muster. “What was that, punk?! Couldn’t quite hear ya!”

“Ryuu’s really strong okay! Take that back!” Nishinoya chipped in, though with his short stature, Tsukishima couldn’t bring himself to see him as a threat.

“Wow, hard of hearing too?” Taunting worked so well on the two and Tsukishima almost laughed at their simplicity. Tsukishima’s lips were drawn up in a sneer as he continued. “I said, you’re an idiot if you think you can take that cursed behemoth on your own. Not every beast goes down with just a few pathetic swings of a sword.”

Hot-blooded and far too easily provoked, the need to prove an absolute stranger wrong overruled all rationality and Tanaka stormed off, leaving behind the words of bringing back the beast’s head to prove his might.

Tsukishima scoffed at the absurdity of the hunter’s statement and returned to his unfinished cake, the taste suddenly not quite as satisfying as before.

 

 

Tanaka adjusted the small bag on his shoulders, checking the straps of his leather armour one last time as he let out a deep sigh, ready to begin his hunt. “Alright! Here I go!”

“Good luck Ryuu! Come back safe!” Nishinoya stood by the edge of the forest to send Tanaka off like he always did, watching Tanaka’s diminishing figure till he disappeared into the woods before returning back to town. Even though he used to envy how Tanaka could always go on exciting adventures while he had to stay back to learn the ropes of a blacksmith, Nishinoya eventually came to love his profession and was even more determined to help Tanaka in any way that he could. This hunt however… It brought nothing but unease to Nishinoya, especially after hearing what the stranger had to say. He seemed to know his stuff, with the smart-looking glasses and all. _Damn, you better get back safely soon!_

It had already been four days since Tanaka’s departure and there was still no sign of his return. Restless and anxious, Nishinoya made his way towards the edge of the forest, preparing to venture in to search for his best friend. His preparation turned out unnecessary however, when just before he entered the forest, he could make out a figure stumbling through the dew-covered foliage of the bushes, collapsing just short of the clearing where Nishinoya was.

“Ryuu!”

Panic set in, a wave of regret clawing at his insides as he raced over to Tanaka’s side, heaving his arm over his shoulders. Dried blood caked his battered armour, torn with claw marks and mud streaks all over.

“Come on, wake up! Don’t you dare die on me! Your sister’s gonna kick your ass so bad if you leave her behind! Ryuu!” The lack of response was frightening but Nishinoya knew he needed to get back to town for help. The trip back to town was a struggle on his own, and even after the townsfolk had quickly arrived to aid him, he still felt the crushing weight of guilt and fear upon his shoulders.

“Hey doc! How’s my brother?” Saeko was no doubt distressed, considering how this was the worst state her little brother had ended up in.

The doctor shook his head solemnly, glancing back into the tent where Tanaka was. “It’s not something I can cure with regular medicine… From what it looks like, you’ll need to find someone who can reverse the effects…”

Nishinoya darted forward, grabbing the doctor by the front of his coat. “A wizard or someone like that would know right? Where can we find one?! There aren’t any here!”

“Hold up, Noya!” Nishinoya found himself being dragged back by the back of his collar by Saeko. “Didn’t a travelling mage come by here a few days ago? If I’m right, he should be staying near the outskirts of the town in the west!”

The piece of information brought them newfound hope and once another townsman confirmed the mage’s location, Nishinoya was off to fetch him, whether he liked it or not.

 

 

“No.” There was an air of finality in that one word that was spat out from Tsukishima’s mouth, face blank and unyielding as he went about with his chores without even sparing a glance at Nishinoya from the moment he entered.

How much of a frozen heart did this mage have? Someone was dying and while the mage would probably have the means to cure him, he made no move to even bother. “What is wrong with you?! You’re just going to let him die?!”

It was then Tsukishima turned around to slam a fist on the table, rattling the various bottles that were displayed atop of it. “I told the both of you that the cursed behemoth was not to be underestimated! And did you listen? No! What has happened is just the consequences of his negligence. So why should I bother?”

Was this how Tanaka was going to die? Because some mage was pissed over the fact that Tanaka went to fight the monster without properly doing his homework? It was reckless, Nishinoya had to admit, but Tanaka of all people didn’t deserve it! With no other options to turn to, all Nishinoya could do was to throw away every shred of his pride and beg till the other relented. “Please! Please just overlook that and help him! He’s my best friend, one of the nicest people around! He’s like a brother to me… Would you really let him die like that?! Would you let someone you love die that way?!”

Tsukishima stood rigid in his place, knuckles turning white from his balled fists. The image of his own brother, cursed and bedridden, flashed across his mind and it left a bitter taste on the tip of his tongue. _This is so stupid,_ Tsukishima thought with disgruntled sigh. _Should have just gone to another town instead._ Reaching over the counter to grab a satchel from underneath, Tsukishima stormed out of his tent, turning back to throw a glare at Nishinoya. “What are you still standing there for? Lead the way.”

 

 

“Doc! I got him! I brought the wizard guy!” Nishinoya burst through the tent with the mage in tow, much to the relief of Saeko and the town doctor. “Do your thing magic man!”

Wizard guy? Magic man? If this hadn’t been about life and death, Tsukishima would have walked out there and then. How insulting. “It’s Tsukishima Kei. And I need all of you to get out.”

“What? But I have to stay with my bro! In case he—”

“I said, _get out_. I need to do this without any annoyances— yes that means you— or interferences. Not to mention even if I do succeed, he’s not going to wake up immediately. So, out. Now.”

The rest had left without any complaints, only Nishinoya sulked and grumbled under his breath before leaving. With a slow inhale through his nose, Tsukishima calmly breathed out before beginning to rummage through his bag. The symbols on Tanaka’s torso that were left by the beast were preventing his wounds from healing and it seemed to be inducing a fever that kept him unconscious.

He had read up on various cures for such curses and thankfully, he had the proper materials with him. Tracing out a different symbol over the marks on Tanaka’s bare torso with his finger, Tsukishima muttered out a spell to counter the effects of the curse, feeling the prickle of magic from the atmosphere swirl around him and flow down to his fingertips in a concentrated form.

Within ten minutes, the enchantment was beginning to take effect, the symbols slowly fading from the surface of Tanaka’s skin without a trace. While the worst had passed, the deep gashes over his torso were still an issue and Tsukishima began preparing a mixture to hasten the healing process. The concoction was made of various herbs that he could only find in another town a distance away and he was honestly disappointed it had to be wasted on a reckless fool.

As Tsukishima wrinkled his nose and applied the foul-smelling and viscous liquid, the wounds immediately began to close and mend itself, a fascinating sight still, even for Tsukishima who had seen the process many times over when his parents were still around as healers.

A wave of nausea from the potent smell and the sudden depletion in his mana threatened to knock Tsukishima over but he managed to keep a firm grip on the table, stumbling only slightly when he tried to regain his balance. Using such magic always seemed to have an effect on him though this had been one of the mildest so far. That was what he got for using counter-curse spells when it wasn’t his specialty, Tsukishima supposed. With Tanaka’s condition finally stabilised, the only thing else to do was wait for Tanaka to wake up, something Tsukishima was not about to sit around for.

Packing up his things, Tsukishima left the tent, informing the rest outside that all was well before deciding to return back to his own place to rest.

“Thank you so much! I knew you weren’t as heartless as you looked! Really, thanks Tsukishima!” Nishinoya was an absolute sight, tears and snot running down his face as he grinned widely. The rest of the townsfolk seemed equally grateful, and for once, Tsukishima was stunned into silence at the sudden attention flashed upon him.

“I… Uh… No problem.” He wasn’t used to being shown so much gratitude and praise, his stomach beginning to churn uncomfortably. Strangely enough, the aftertaste was… warm. Quickly excusing himself from the scene, Tsukishima found himself missing being by his brother’s side.

 

 

“PLEASE COME WITH ME TO HUNT THE CURSED BEHEMOTH!”

Tsukishima almost dropped the glass vial between his fingers, flinching violently at the loud declaration that shattered the peaceful silence he was revelling in just mere minutes ago. Perhaps healing the warrior was the worst decision he had ever made in his life.

Tanaka remained bowed at his waist, sincerity oozing out from every fibre of his being. He had woken up a few days after being treated and Nishinoya couldn’t stop gushing about how incredible Tsukishima had been in removing the curse and healing him. It was then he knew he needed Tsukishima’s help. “You’re good with magic and all right? Help me take that monster down!”

“Are you insane, unlike you, I’m not suicidal!” Clearly the phrase ‘once bitten, twice shy’ was foreign to the shaven warrior. “And it’s not going to benefit me either way so please spare yourself the effort and leave.”

Tanaka immediately raised his head, lurching forward lean against the table edge where Tsukishima stood behind. “Wait, I’ll split the reward with you! You need the money right? 70:30!”

The quiet pause of consideration gave Tanaka a confidence boost as he waited for an answer. It was true Tsukishima needed the money and he supposed he could stand his ground with his arsenal of defence spells. So why not push it further? “50:50 and we have a deal.” With that amount, Tsukishima could finally afford the last item needed for Akiteru’s cure.

“Half?! That’s crazy!—”

“ _You’re_ crazy for even wanting to fight it. It’s either half or no deal.” The smirk that appeared on Tsukishima’s lips widened with the increasing dilemma that Tanaka found so hard to resolve but with a pained look and a defeated sigh, Tanaka nodded.

“… Deal… Damn, you drive a hard bargain, Tsukishima!”

“Not really, you’re just too easy.”

That apparently riled Tanaka back to his usual self, a brow twitching as he leaned further over the table that separated them. “What did you say, punk! Ugh, we leave tomorrow at dawn, so pack up and meet me by the gates of the East Forest!”

 

 

Adjusting the strap of the bulky satchel across his shoulder, Tsukishima kicked at the stones by his feet till Tanaka arrived, fresh and ready to go. “Glad to see you here! Thought you would have chickened out or something!”

Tsukishima flippantly waved him off, a sly smirk crossing his lips. “I would have left, but I decided to show some mercy before your best friend comes _begging_ me to heal you again.”

“That was just a fluke! It’s not going to happen again!”

“We’ll see about that.”

Thus their journey began into the forest, thick with overgrown shrubbery and trees that reached up as high as they could see, blanketing the sky with their foliage. The only source of light peeked through between the gaps, letting in slivers of ray shine down on their path. From what Tsukishima knew, the cursed behemoth would have changed locations after encountering a fight and most of the time, it would retreat back to its main nest near the foot of the mountain.

“Do you think that monster will still be there where I fought it?”

Clearly Tsukishima had set his expectations of Tanaka much too high. “Did you even read into it these past few days?! It’s not going to stay in the same place! The nest is mainly at the foot of the mountain further north of this forest... I regret this so much right now.”

Tanaka was genuinely taken aback by the piece of information, but at least he had the decency to look apologetic, a gloved hand reaching up to scratch his head. “I uh… I didn’t think of it. But hey! I have you here now! Lighten up, Tsukishima, with my strength and your awesome brains and magic, we’ll win this battle!”

“… Still regretting my decision to help you.”

Barely a day into their travelling, the duo had already encountered a few monsters and eradicated them as they went along. Tsukishima wasn’t too happy with the delay and while he had hoped that they would be able to reach the mountain base by sundown and rest for the night before facing the beast, the daylight was much shorter in the forest and they were forced to stop for the night.

“This is the first time I’m actually traveling with someone.” Tanaka commented out of the blue as he gathered the branches for a fire while Tsukishima conjured up his tent, waiting for Tanaka to arrange the sticks for him to cast a small fire spell.

Muttering out the incantation, Tsukishima watched the embers begin to spark to life, growing into a small fire that crackled bright and warm. “Same here.” He wanted to sigh at the silence that followed. Holding a conversation was never quite a strong point of his and though sometimes he was perfectly fine with being quiet, it just didn’t feel right when others expected him to say something to elaborate or even got frustrated when Tsukishima didn’t. Their dinner of stew bubbled in a small pot over the flame, the aroma wafting over to where Tanaka sat, drawing him in to sit beside Tsukishima with a respectable distance between them by the fire.

“So what are you going to use the gold reward for?” As Tsukishima handed Tanaka a bowl, his hand ceased the stirring of their stew at the question. There wasn’t any point in lying and he didn’t want any pity either, though Tanaka didn’t seem like the sort.

“My brother was cursed when he went out hunting. Came back, fell ill, and has been bedridden ever since.” Bitterness filled his words and he was sorely reminded of how pathetic their world was, cursed monsters roaming freely and inflicting their sickness upon those who got too close or just weren’t careful enough. Tsukishima had always been better at magic than Akiteru and thus he felt the weight of the responsibility of saving his brother heavy on his shoulders, near desperate even which was rather obvious when he teamed up with Tanaka. “I’ve been trying to find a cure ever since but when I did, I found out the materials required were rare and expensive and it’s not something I can afford with what I’m earning now.”

The fire crackled in the silence, hues of bright orange casting long shadows that disappeared into the dark of the forest. There was no sympathetic apology or even the slightest sound of acknowledgement from the warrior and while Tsukishima was thankful for that, the lack of response on Tanaka’s part was strangely unnerving. Throughout their journey, there was never a moment of peace, from Tanaka’s senseless chatter down to his soft, tuneful humming that was at least tolerable. Tsukishima almost wanted to ask if something was wrong when the warrior clapped a heavy hand on his back that nearly sent Tsukishima off his seat and just as he whipped his head around to chide the other, his words immediately died on the tip of his tongue, not quite expecting the soft gaze in Tanaka’s usually sharp eyes and the faint quirk of his lips.

“Man, you’re a good brother! I completely understand how you feel; I have an older sister and I’d do anything for her!— But don’t tell her that. Anyway, I know you’ll do good!”

Tsukishima was sure there would be a handprint on his back with the way his skin prickled painfully but… He supposed he could this one slide. “How are you so sure?”

The hand on his back shifted up to ruffle short blond locks, Tanaka’s grin only widening to show off pearly white teeth. “Because I just know. Trust me on this!”

It wasn’t a pep talk or a long comforting speech but that brief conversation was enough to lift Tsukishima’s spirits and the flames seemed to flicker wildly in agreement.

 

 

“It’s… It’s not here.” They had arrived at the base of the mountain by midday only to be met with the empty cave of the beast, the only remains being the mud tracks that led up the mountain. “That means it’s gone over to the other side of this insanely huge mountain…”

“Okay let’s go!”

“ _No!_ ” Tsukishima was mostly unenthusiastic at the prospects of having to _hike_ up and down a huge lump of rock, especially when he was out of summoning rocks to call out a familiar that he could ride or fly on. What luck. “It’s going to take days or even a week to get to the other side!”

Tanaka raised his head to stare up into the clear sky, squinting from the sunlight as a hand settled on the hilt of his sword. “Naah, it’s only going to take another three full days. I know a shorter route since I’ve been through here a few times.” Tanaka proudly declared and there was little doubt in his tone. He encountered it by chance on one of his hunts and while it was shorter, it was just a little more strenuous than the regular paths. Well, a little for him anyway, though the same could not be said for Tsukishima.

 

 

Trekking over the mountain turned out to be much harder than Tsukishima anticipated it would be. By the hour, Tsukishima was already out of breath and eager for a break and he was thoroughly disgusted at how Tanaka didn’t even break into a sweat. _Another two days, he says! I’m already tired after an hour!_ Tsukishima was amazed he hadn’t started cursing and swearing out loud at the warrior whom he could see wasn’t trying very hard to contain his laughter.

“Pfft, oh man, you don’t get out much do you? Always burying your nose in your books and potions?” His shoulders shook as he snorted in the most obnoxious fashion, finding amusement in Tsukishima’s lack of stamina.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Don’t forget all these books and potions saved your dying ass.” The nerve of Tanaka to even laugh at him!

“It’s such a gentle slope and the terrain’s not that bad! Plus don’t think I don’t see you prancing about happily gathering grass behind!”

Tsukishima was absolutely aghast and despite the tension in his muscles and the breathlessness, he stormed right up to Tanaka and jabbed a slender finger against his hard chest. “I do not _prance_! And these aren’t just grass, you ignorant bloke! They’re herbs! Oh, but I suppose you wouldn’t know anything since the only thing you know how to do is swing a sword.”

Tanaka wasn’t one to cower in the face of danger, in this case, a tall bespectacled blonde, and he stood his ground, straightening his posture. “Oi oi, don’t you think you’re being too stereotypical with the all brawn no brains trope?”

“Well aren’t you a hypocrite!” Tsukishima sneered in return, nose scrunched up in annoyance. “You think all I do is sit around and read and make potions! So far you’ve shown me nothing that proves you have anything else going for you other than your muscle.” Without even bothering to listen to Tanaka’s response, Tsukishima pushed him aside to continue on the path, the atmosphere heavy with animosity.

 

 

Dinner was mostly a silent affair. No words had been exchanged since that afternoon and when Tsukishima retreated into the tent straight after dinner instead sitting out with Tanaka, he felt just a little disappointed that they were already on such bad terms after just one day. Their personalities clashed, that he could easily tell and perhaps it was his fault for pushing too far. They were both stubborn and yielded to nothing, and it was something Tanaka found it surprisingly exciting in Tsukishima. With a cursory glance back at the tent, Tanaka decided he was going to be the bigger person and apologise. Even if he thought he wasn’t really completely at fault. Popping his head through the opening of the tent, Tanaka spotted Tsukishima seated on the ground sorting out the herbs he had picked up earlier.

“Uh, so… What are those?”

Tsukishima visibly flinched at the voice, not bothering to turn around nor grace his question with an answer but when he realised Tanaka wasn’t going to budge until Tsukishima spoke, he finally caved in. “Ifrotus roots. When soaked in warm water to be drunk, they act as a mild painkiller.”

“Ah, cool.” Taking a step closer, Tanaka seated himself beside the mage and picked up one of the plants, twirling it between his index finger and thumb. “Look, I’m sorry about this afternoon. I was being all rude and stuff. I guess I ended up behaving the same way towards you as I do with Noya so I’m gonna try and control myself…”

Plucking the plant out of Tanaka’s grasps, Tsukishima carefully packed it away with the rest of the herbs in a small compartment of his bag. Truthfully, he felt bad about snapping so harshly at Tanaka and he couldn’t quite put his finger on why he reacted the way he did. “I… I need to apologise as well. What I said about you— about having nothing else going for you— it’s not true. I thought it was… pretty amazing that you’ve been out travelling and fighting by yourself against all these monsters, and the knowledge we have is different so there’s really nothing to compare.”

“So… Are we friends again?”

“Were we friends in the first place?”

Frustration rose within Tanaka, only to quickly subside when he saw the hesitation and confusion in Tsukishima’s features. It was a genuine question. “Yeah! Well, for me at least.”

Tsukishima solemnly nodded. He had always regarded himself as a loner with the way he found everyone around him so annoying and the only person he would have considered a friend would be Yamaguchi. But now… He had Tanaka?... “Then we are.”

 

 

Tsukishima had no idea how he had grown so at ease around Tanaka during those few days and while there were certainly times when he got on his nerves, Tsukishima found himself enjoying his time being around the warrior more than he probably should. Tsukishima should have seen this coming really, with how they’ve been sharing their space and that included showering in the river together, to which Tsukishima _definitely_ did not secretly ogle at the warrior’s chiselled frame glistening under the sun nor drown in the brightness of Tanaka’s smile that felt more like a binding spell.

Tanaka would tell him all about the adventures he’s had and Tsukishima would sit there listening intently with knees pulled up to his chest, chin perched atop until he fell asleep, dreaming of the adventures he could have had with his brother if he hadn’t been so stubborn about staying behind.

Now he could only regret all the offers he had rejected and how it took a curse inflicted on his brother to send Tsukishima out of his comfort zone.

Their conversations grew uncomfortably stilted that evening as they set up camp for the night, both of them knowing that they would be facing the beast in just a few more hours of travelling after sunrise. Despite the confident exterior Tanaka regularly held up, Tsukishima had spent enough time observing him to know he had worries of his own, brought on by the pressure to succeed. He had told Tsukishima the town’s expectations of him and Nishinoya with their families being a prominent figure there. Tsukishima knew it wouldn’t affect his performance either way, with his mental fortitude far stronger than anyone he had seen and he supposed it was what he found charming, despite all craziness aside.

“… Take off your clothes.”

Tanaka whipped his head round so hard he almost gave himself whiplash, a look of disbelief written all over his face. “W-Woah there, Tsukishima! I didn’t you were _this_ forward! I mean this is going so fast! I prefer dating first before we uh, y’know, _do the do_.”

At that point, Tsukishima was so close to punching Tanaka at the implication but mustering all the self-control he had, he restricted himself to just rolling his eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Tanaka-san. I’m just going to draw protective runes on you, for goodness’ sake.”

“O-Oh why didn’t you say so in the first place?” Tanaka’s words came out a little louder than usual, an awkward hitch in them that Tsukishima thankfully didn’t notice. The leather armour came off hastily, followed by his shirt that he tossed aside. Sitting up in a seiza position, Tanaka audibly gulped, body stiff as a rod when he felt the feather-light touch of Tsukishima’s finger run over his back, leaving a warm tingly sensation in its trail.

“Relax, it’s not going to hurt.” He had seen Tanaka topless before but never this up close and frankly, Tsukishima hated how the sight of tan skin stretched across such well-defined muscles could stir up all these foreign feelings inside him. Taking in a deep breath to compose himself, Tsukishima began from the top of Tanaka’s spine on the back of his neck, soft whispers of the incantation fluttering past his lips as drew the rune for defence. The markings dimly glowed for just a few seconds, leaving a faint impression on the skin that would eventually fade and lose effect in a few days’ time. Repeating the same motions for another rune over his shoulder blade—one for agility—, Tsukishima could hear the slow exhale of breath from Tanaka, painfully aware of the firm muscles beneath his fingertips tighten with tension briefly before loosening into a more relaxed state.

Tanaka’s gloved hands were balled into fists on his lap from the start but with each stroke against his skin, he found himself being soothed by the gentle brushes and he gradually slouched in his position, sleep beginning to lull him in. “I dunno why you gotta be so thorny all the time… You can actually be nice when it matters…”

Tsukishima paused at one of the strokes that ran down the lower ridges of Tanaka’s spine, noting the slurred unfiltered speech. Unwilling to dignify the half-asleep warrior with a response, he continued on to draw the next rune on Tanaka’s arm— one for strength— and quietly muttered the incantations.

“Like, I dunno what went on in your past or whatever angsty shit you went through… I wished we… Okay it’s not long since we were together… like travelling together, but I wished you would be more relaxed around me or something… ‘m not gonna hurt you…”

Carefully shifting Tanaka to lean back against the wall, Tsukishima sat in front of him with a contemplative stare, brows furrowed in concentration. Sure, he didn’t like how he was living at the moment, brought on by the death of his parents and with his brother’s sudden illness taking a toll on them, was it not logical to be hardened by the ill fortune that had befallen his family?

Waiting for Tanaka to fall asleep, he shifted forward to lightly draw out the rune for protection over his heart, hesitating for just a second after he finished before deciding to throw caution to the wind. Tanaka wasn’t going to know about this. Tsukishima’s lips pressed against the mark, the steady throb of Tanaka’s heart reassuringly loud against his lips and in his ears. “For good luck, because you’ll definitely need it.”

Throwing a blanket over the both of them, Tsukishima blew out the candle, watching the soft glow of the rune markings in the dark till he fell into a dreamless slumber.

 

 

The bright rays of sun peeked over the distant mountains, casting a faint glow through their shared tent. Tsukishima was already up by the break of dawn and opted to start packing up, sparing a few glances over to Tanaka’s sleeping form, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. Quietly crossing over to the warrior’s side, Tsukishima held his palm over his heart where the rune was drawn, feeling the thrum of a pulse, his body heat spreading up Tsukishima’s fingers and throughout his entire body.

He didn’t know why he was so drawn to such a rambunctious and brash man, one who frustrated Tsukishima so much with his mere presence and yet, despite his tendencies to pick out people’s bad points, he’s found just as many or even more positive ones in Tanaka. Tsukishima didn’t think they were that close but with all the time spent with each other, he could just be a little selfish… right? Head tilted forward just slightly, Tsukishima cautiously leaned in, intending to just press a quick kiss at the corner of Tanaka’s lips but as fate would have it—and he swore the universe was against him – Tanaka woke up, dazed and still half asleep, that is, until he realised how close Tsukishima was, faces just centimetres apart.

“I— I was just checking the runes!” Tsukishima hastily jerked back as he automatically spat out the excuse, getting to his feet and stumbling to the other side of the tent. _What have I done? And here I thought I was the rational one!_ Panic surged inside him, squeezing his chest and it was suffocating to say the least. This was ridiculous, it shouldn’t be such a big deal but Tsukishima felt like dying and they hadn’t even gone into battle yet.

Tanaka sat rigid in his place, stunned at the miraculous sight he had witnessed the moment he opened his eyes. The light that shone in was reflected against Tsukishima at the perfect angle, pale skin glowing ethereally under the sun’s rays and his eyes sparkling like brilliant ambers. Tanaka honestly thought he had just seen an angel if it weren’t for the sudden voice that pulled him back to reality. Had Tsukishima tried to kiss him?...

“Hey uh, Tsukishima?” There was no answer and Tanaka saw how his hand trembled against the wood of the table, head held low in embarrassment and possibly shame. This shouldn’t be it. This wasn’t being honest with each other as friends at all. If they left things as they were, their status quo would remain as it was, only much more broken. The past few days had been one of the best times Tanaka has ever had and in the corner of his mind, he had already decided he wanted more.

Pushing himself off the floor, Tanaka reached over to clasp his hand over Tsukishima’s, gripping when Tsukishima flinched and tried to withdraw his hand. “Let go! I wasn’t… I said I was checking on the runes so just leave it as that! Pretend nothing happened…” The last sentence was whispered out, fear evident in those few words. It was far too uncharacteristic of him to be behaving like this, and Tsukishima blamed it on his irrational feelings that muddled his thoughts.

Asking if he had tried to kiss him would be a terrible idea, knowing Tsukishima’s defensive nature. If he was right… then they were definitely on the same wavelength. Tanaka saw Tsukishima as a delicate being compared to himself, but there was a strength that drew him in. Thorny perhaps, but Tanaka just couldn’t seem to stay away from the challenge. “I didn’t ask for an explanation! Just… Listen to me okay?!”

Tsukishima had his mouth open with a retort but in the end, he kept silent for Tanaka to continue.

“I was… Ugh I’m just going to say it. Later I was going to ask you for a good luck kiss. Like... Before we face the monster. I mean if you don't mind of course. I totally respect that! Because I really do like you. And just now, well, is it safe to assume you feel the same?”

This time, the anxiety lifted almost instantaneously and was replaced with a simmering excitement that made Tsukishima’s heart beat even quicker than when he was panicking. He whipped his head around, eyes glassy and filled with the beginnings of the tears that were about to fall. The stare directed at the usually confident warrior was filled with incredulity at the intense blush that stained his cheeks and the tips of his ear. Was he serious?

“Damn it, please answer me already! I’m gonna die just waiting!”

“I don’t even know why I like you. You’re noisy, you’re obnoxious, you’re not even romantic at all…” Tsukishima quietly muttered with a roll of his eyes as he leaned in, their lips meeting tenderly for a kiss, this time purposeful and sweet.

Tanaka brought a hand up to rest against the nape of Tsukishima’s neck, leading him closer with an appreciative hum that sent vibrations across their mouths. Tsukishima’s lips were softer than he imagined and he almost felt embarrassed at how rough his chapped ones might have felt.

Tsukishima was the first to draw back, anxiously wringing his fingers in the quiet tension that built up once more. What now? There were so many questions that he needed answers to but there was a fear that it would only distract the both of them from their main goal that was to hunt the beast and split the reward. What happens after that? Would they just separate ways like nothing ever happened?

“You really need to stop thinking so much, y’know?” The warm glow of Tanaka’s beaming smile was blinding, and Tsukishima could see the perfect imperfections of chipped teeth and cracked lips but it only served to fuel his curiosity of this strange entity called Tanaka Ryuunosuke.

“I can’t help it. There’s so many factors to consider, so many things that could go wrong. What if all this was just some silly fling—”

“Hey, I’m gonna have to stop you right there! We’ll work it out like the mature adults we are!”

“Not sure how mature one of us is…”

Tanaka burst out in laughter, his hand sliding southwards from Tsukishima neck to the small of his back where it remained, the blissful heat pressing against his skin. “You rude brat! So, what’s our revenge plan for this beast?”


	2. Chapter 2

The air in the forest was still, not a single sound of chirping birds or rustling leaves and they knew at once the beast was close by. Spotting the four-legged beast a distance away, Tanaka tapped on Tsukishima’s shoulder to signal its appearance.

“Remember what I said about attacking it? No hits until I’ve fully casted each spell. It’s got multiple magic barriers with reflective properties that get stronger so I just need you to distract it while I break them.”

“That’s like the hundredth time you’ve said that, y’know. I got it the second time.” Crouching low behind a rock, Tanaka gripped the hilt of his sword with narrowed eyes locked onto their 10,000-gold prize. “Ready when you are.”

That was the first time Tsukishima had seen Tanaka so focused, and he had to admit it was quite a sight that almost made him forget what he was supposed to be doing. _Ugh, get it together Kei_. Drawing a symbol on his palm, he turned it to face the monster before beginning to mutter out the spell. Wisps of mana flowed through his arm in little prickles under his skin and gathered in his palm where the symbol began to glow.

Tanaka raised himself off his heel to get ready as he slowly drew his sword, and once an arrow-like blast shot straight into the beast’s head, he leapt into action, skipping over the boulder and charging ahead. “This is for scratching me the other time!” Tanaka cried out with every slash of his blade once the magic barrier broke.

“Pretty sure it did more than just scratch you.” Tsukishima snickered in between spells while keeping his gaze on the way Tanaka fluidly avoided the poisonous slashes from the beast’s claws.

“Damn it— Tsukishima! Don’t you have—” The warrior slid under the beast to dodge another attack, taking the opportunity to sink his sword into thick flesh. “—more important things… to do besides commenting?!” The cursed behemoth let out an ear-piercing screech that shattered the illusion of peace in the woods, thrashing wildly in an attempt to crush its assailant. “Like, I don’t know, helping me?”

Yanking the sword out, Tanaka rolled sideways as a heavy foot stomped just inches shy of his head. He spotting Tsukishima flinching from the corner of his eye and took to teasing him, all while casually evading any incoming attacks. “Aw I saw that! So you do care!”

“C-Concentrate, idiot!” The warm blush that settled on his cheeks didn’t go away and Tsukishima played it off as the effects of his draining mana. Once the last barrier was broken, the monster’s hostility grew and the bloodlust that radiated off it made Tsukishima hesitate though it seemed to have no effect on Tanaka. “Be careful, it doesn’t like you very much.”

Tanaka let out a laugh, low and gravelly almost like a feral growl. “We’ll see who’s the beast now.” It was something that was said so quietly amidst the chaos but Tsukishima caught it, and it brought out a newfound respect for the warrior. His moves were quicker, his sword sang with every slash, slicing with a deadly accuracy that struck every weak point the cursed monster had and sent it crashing helplessly to the ground. Its last attempt to strike the warrior was foiled with a binding spell casted by Tsukishima, followed by a direct stab in the head from Tanaka’s blade that finished it off.

“You did it.” Tsukishima breathed, leaning back against the tree behind. It was his first time assisting in a battle and it felt amazing, albeit just a little nerve-wrecking from all the action going on.

The intensity faded as Tanaka sheathed his sword, a playful grin returning to his features. “Nah, _we_ did it. The fight became so easy thanks to you! Now all we have to do is dig out its core and bring it back.”

Just as Tanaka was about to stick his hand into the open wound in its belly, the click of Tsukishima’s tongue stopped him. “Is that how you’ve been doing it?! Disgusting.” With a soft chant and a wave of his hand, the crystal-like core phased out from the fallen beast and into his awaiting palm. “There. So much more refined than just digging around inside.”

“That’s so cool! Damn, Tsukishima, you’re incredible!”

You’re _incredible_ , was what Tsukishima wanted to respond with but instead he just scoffed, head lowered to hide the brief smile that crossed his lips as he dropped the core into his satchel. “It’s not that big a deal. Should we head back now?”

Before Tsukishima could turn back, Tanaka had his hand enclosed in his own in a gentle grip that had such a tenderness to it that it was hard to believe the very same hands had been so seasoned in wielding a weapon that took down a class-A monster. Despite the dampness from perspiration on Tanaka’s end, Tsukishima didn’t have the heart to pull away. “You’re gross…”

“I know.” Tanaka cheekily answered, bumping against his shoulder. “But I don’t see you doing anything about it.”

“Just being respectful to my elders in case I cause any heartbreaks.”

“Oi!”

 

 

Evening fell soon, bringing along a chill that had Tsukishima huddling closer to the fire than usual with a blanket tightly wrapped round him. Once again, Tanaka didn’t seem quite as affected as him and donned his usual attire of just a thin shirt and pants. “Wow, are you cold?” Tanaka asked, as if it wasn’t the most obvious thing.

“Of course not, I’m just sitting really close to the fire with a blanket because I love being toasted.” Tsukishima snapped back with a sniffle, frowning even harder when all Tanaka did was laugh.

“I guess we’ll have to huddle up and keep warm!” Tanaka stood up and sat himself back down beside Tsukishima, yanking one side of the blanket so that he could wrap it around himself.

“W-What, hey wait, wait!” There was barely any chance to protest and with Tsukishima pressed shoulder to shoulder against Tanaka and a toned arm around his waist, Tsukishima quickly found himself heating up almost instantaneously. Tanaka was no doubt warm, the pleasant heat surrounding him slowly lulling him to sleep and somehow, Tsukishima managed to doze off mid-conversation. The next thing he knew, the sun had already risen and he was back in the tent with Tanaka lightly snoring beside him without a care in the world.

Prying off the arms that clung round his abdomen, Tsukishima began to pack up for their journey home and it was then he wondered, what’s next? Once they collected their reward at the town council, Tanaka would be off on another adventure while he would be heading back home to prepare a cure for his brother. Whatever they had here would be lost, a distant memory that would eventually fade with the seasons. Nothing was certain, nor permanent. Or at least that was what Tsukishima felt.

_“You really need to stop thinking so much, y’know?”_

How could he not? Spontaneity was Tanaka’s thing, not his. Tsukishima planned ahead, prepared for rainy days, lived by order. Not take life day by day as it was.

Tearing his gaze away from the sleeping figure, Tsukishima just couldn’t see how it would work out, or rather, he didn’t know how.

 

 

“Alright! We made it back! Alive!” The sounds of civilisation were welcoming as they left behind the sea of green and perhaps the memories of their adventures. During the past few days of their journey back, Tsukishima could tell Tanaka felt something was a little off between them but since he didn’t raise any questions, Tsukishima left his thoughts unsaid. “Hey uhm… Tsukishima?”

_… Here it comes._

Tanaka let out a huff, a hand raised to rub the back of his neck. “I know you had something on your mind these few days and I was thinking we need to talk about it… So… Uh… Can we have lunch together? And talk? My treat of course!”

“I guess—”

“Ryuu! You’re back and in one piece! Safe and sound!” By the time Tsukishima turned around, Nishinoya had already whizzed past him and flung himself into Tanaka’s ready arms. “You beat it up real good, right?!”

“Hell yeah we did! Tsukishima was a huge help, he’s incredible!” The boisterous exchanged garnered the attention of the rest of the townsfolk, cheers erupting when the word of the dreaded monster’s defeat went round. The crowd that gathered was beginning to unnerve the mage but before he could make his getaway, Tanaka was already one step ahead—in the most literal and metaphorical sense—as he grabbed Tsukishima by the hand and pulled him out of the gathering. Even then, he never let go, their hands still interlinked till they arrived at the town council to exchange the monster’s core for their well-deserved reward.

The jingle of coins in the bag was immensely satisfying, more so when Tanaka began splitting their shares into a separate bag. “There ya go! Now… About that lunch—”

“There you are Ryuu! Let’s go for lunch! You must be starving by now!”

Tsukishima swore he could hear a whine coming from Tanaka but then again, it could just be his imagination.

 

 

“—so after that nee-san was all mad and oh right, almost forgot! A new notice came up for another Class-A monster so as usual I took it for you!”

Tsukishima was so close to blowing a fuse if Nishinoya didn’t stop talking and thankfully, the pint-sized blacksmith shut his mouth for a brief moment to rummage through his bag for something. “Ah, here!”

As the crumpled poster was thrusted into Tanaka’s hand, Tsukishima couldn’t help but be drawn to the bright smile that lit up Tanaka’s face, blatantly staring at the crinkle in the corners of his eyes. “So whaddya say, Tsukishima?”

“W-What?”

“I asked if you could come with me for this hunt too! We worked so well as a team so for this one—”

 “I can’t.”

Confusion spread across his features from the simple answer but Tanaka wasn’t going let it go anytime soon. “Why?! We… We had something, didn’t we?”

“We do,” _Or did…_ “But that’s not why I turned you down. I have to get back to my brother and get the cure. You know that.”

“Well yeah! But it doesn’t have to be now, does it? This hunt won’t even take more than three days. We’ll be in and out before you know it. And you need more money than that for the materials right?”

Tsukishima’s fist balled up as he slammed the table top, unable to hold in his pent-up irritation any longer. Why couldn’t he understand? “I said no!”

Tanaka grew defensive from the sudden outburst, posture straightened as he returned the glare head on and ignoring Nishinoya’s warning to cool it. “Shouldn’t you live a little? And maybe stop being so obsessed about your brother! He’ll still be fine without you for a little while more, wouldn’t he? Why are you being so stubborn about this?!”

That was the last straw that Tsukishima was willing to tolerate. How dare he make light of the relationship between him and his brother. Tanaka didn’t know of the sacrifices his brother had made for him, nor the things he did to single-handedly raise him when their parents died, so what right did he have to make such statements? A blur of movement caught Tanaka off-guard and he was stunned into silence when Tsukishima’s palm struck him solidly on the cheek, the sting prickling painfully on his skin as Tanaka sat there in disbelief at the fact that Tsukishima had just slapped him.

“Live a little?” Tsukishima snapped in exasperation with gritted teeth. “How dare you! My brother was cursed by a beast and he can barely get around without hurting! How can you expect me to go gallivanting with you knowing that?! But I suppose you wouldn’t know how that feels like since your sister is still healthy and well.” His last sentence came out as a bitter hiss that surprised Tsukishima himself.

Tsukishima forced back the tears that were beginning to well up and with a sharp intake of breath in an effort to compose himself, he steeled his gaze and got to his feet. “I never want to see you again. Goodbye.”

The cup of tea had toppled during the exchange and Tanaka was still frozen in his seat even after Tsukishima was long gone, watching as the liquid dribbled over the edge in a steady stream till it was no more than sporadic drips.

“I… I fucked up, didn’t I?” Tanaka finally spoke, a shakiness in his voice that Nishinoya could barely recognise.

“Yeah… You kinda messed up big time…” It was strange to see Tanaka looking so perturbed over someone other than his sister or even him. The relationship between the two during those few days of travelling had definitely progressed further than Nishinoya expected and while usually he would be telling Tanaka that everything was going to be okay, that there’s always other people that will appreciate him more, he just couldn’t find the words to speak this time.

“Shit. I really… I really liked him, Noya… I knew what I said would wound Tsukishima yet my big mouth just had to spill it all! Damn it!” The table cracked when Tanaka slammed his fist down on it, the shame and regret rolling off the warrior in waves.

Tanaka was rarely ever miserable and when he was, Nishinoya would always be there to pick him up and this time was no exception. “Get up you snivelling wimp! Your five minutes of self-pity is over! If you really want mage boy back, you gotta work for it! Find a peace offering or something, one that’s sure to get you back into his good books!”

“Where the hell am I supposed to find something like that—Oh.” Like a revelation had just dawned upon him, Tanaka whipped round to grab Nishinoya by his shoulders. “Oh!”

“Oh?! Don’t keep me in suspense!” Nishinoya was pleased to see Tanaka figuring out what he should do so quickly—

“I’m going to get a dragon heart for Tsukishima! I remember he mentioned it as one of the items needed for his bro’s cure but it was too expensive. What better way than to hunt it myself!”

The excitement that filled the blacksmith fizzled out immediately and terror took over. “Are you insane?!” They had done some crazy things and been on some wild adventures but this… This was far beyond their capabilities. He had never once doubted Tanaka’s skill before but this was just pushing it. “Absolutely not. No. Way. I’m not letting you kill yourself over that one guy! Look, there’s plenty of other people out there, I’m sure you’ll find someone better than that grouchy Tsukishima…”

Tanaka just sighed in pure resignation, looking wistfully up at the sky and Nishinoya was beginning to fear for Tanaka’s mental health. “It’s not the same, Noya! I’ve never felt more alive around Tsukishima! Other than you of course because you’re my bestest bro. I won’t lose him because of something stupid I said!”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t lose your life either! I’m all about taking risks but a _dragon_?! That’s on a completely different level! There were raids who went in and sometimes no one even returned! You’re strong but you’re not that strong yet!”

While there was usually compromise in their discussions, Tanaka was surprisingly stubborn this round and everything Nishinoya said went right over his head. “Then… I’m coming with you.”

Tanaka snapped out of his thoughtful reminiscing with creased brows. “Huh what?! No way! It’s too dangerous for you!”

“Hah and not for you?! I’m coming with you and that’s final!” Nishinoya was adamant on tagging along, to keep watch on Tanaka if anything else. The incident with the other monster already gave him such a scare and he wasn’t about to take any chances by being useless on the sidelines.

 

 

“Nii-chan, I’m home.”

Akiteru pushed himself to sit up in the creaky bed, wincing when a spark of pain shot up his back. “Kei?! Welcome home! So, come tell your brother about all the amazing adventures you’ve had over these few weeks.”

“Nothing happened. I was busy with the shop. Has Yamaguchi left?” Exhausted from a whole day of non-stop travelling, Tsukishima sluggishly unpacked his things from his satchel, putting away various herbs in individual jars on the shelf. His collection of herbs and magical items had grown over the years, and that didn’t even include the ones his parents had left behind. Tsukishima’s gaze lingered on the ifrotus roots in his hand, the conversation with Tanaka surging from the recesses of his mind like a punch to the gut.

Nothing escaped Akiteru’s eye, especially when it came to his baby brother and from the moment Tsukishima stepped into the house, he could tell something was bothering him. “He came by for a short while to bring me lunch… You can’t lie to me, Kei, you know that. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing okay? I’m just tired. I managed to get most of the things I need to break your curse so it won’t be much longer now.” His only concern now was the dragon heart that was really going to set them back. They were a rarity because of how difficult it was to obtain and the price on it was far too steep for Tsukishima to afford, even if he borrowed gold from his neighbours, but with the bounty gold… Surely he would finally be able to afford it. “I’m heading out for a while—”

“Kei!” The front door slammed shut, rattling the unsteady shelves. “Ahh what a troublesome little brother I have…”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the exciting bit~ :3c

Nishinoya wiped his perspiration away with a dirty cloth, nose scrunched up in concentration as he fixed up one of the swords that a neighbour brought over. While he was certainly upset about Tanaka’s choice to face the dragon, Nishinoya was pretty damn proud about the conviction in his decision. They were both passionate people and those around them didn’t always see it that way, but perhaps that was why they bonded so well together. A loud hiss followed by a cloud of steam filled the smithy when Nishinoya dipped the heated sword into the water, drawing it back out to store it away. It was nearly seven in the morning and usually Tanaka would have arrived by then so that they could grab breakfast together. “Maaan I hope he didn’t oversleep…” The meatbuns that Suga sold were the freshest during the early mornings and the duo had never missed a single day of it.

“Oi, Ryuu! Wake up!” When there was no answer after he knocked on Tanaka’s window, Nishinoya pried it open and hopped in, only to be met with an empty bed. “R-Ryuu? This isn’t funny… Uh oh.” Spotting the crumpled poster by the bedside, Nishinoya flipped it over to read the hastily written scribbles. “Sorry Noya for not telling you I went on ahead… I didn’t want to put you in danger so I left by myself… Tell sis that I’m sorry for leaving without saying goodbye… What the hell is this?! Saeko-nee! Nee-san!”

“Damn it Yuu, you better have a good reason for waking me up so early in the morning…” Saeko trudged into the room with a lazy yawn, squinting at the empty bed and completely unfazed by the fact that Nishinoya had entered through the window. “Where’s Ryuu?”

“He already left! I can’t believe it, I was going to go with him and he just left me behind!”

“Hah?! He said he was leaving tomorrow! That brat! Why’s he so bent on fighting a dragon?”

Nishinoya chucked the balled up poster into the bin as he paced around the room. “Ughhh he wants to get a heart of a dragon for Tsukishima!”

“Hold it, did you just say Tsukishima? I thought it sounded familiar when that mage said his name!”

“Yeah, Tsukishima Kei. So you actually know him?”

With a thoughtful hum and a pout on her lips, Saeko perked up. “No, but I knew his brother! Superb swordsman, one of those goody knight types. His parents were some of the best mages around but they died a few years ago. Haven’t really seen Akiteru since, sadly.”

“He’s been cursed, that’s why his brother is trying to get the materials for the cure…”

“Well shit, it must be pretty bad then, to need a dragon’s heart. You know what, let’s go pay them a visit!”

“Eh?” _Oh… Sneaky Nee-san…_

 

 

This was the worst. It was ridiculous how the fates were so against him. All he wanted to do was give his brother his life again, was that wrong? The last dragon heart had already been sold and there was no telling when someone would hunt for it and bring it to the market again. He would have gone ahead and slain one if he could but he didn’t have enough offensive power to take it down by himself. If he was with Tanaka though…

No. Stop.

Tsukishima slapped his cheeks as he groaned, dropping his hands lifelessly to his sides. Did it hurt as much when he slapped Tanaka? It was too late for regrets anyway, he’d already told him he never wanted to see him again, so what use was it to feel bad now?

“I’m home…” Tsukishima quietly uttered as he stepped into the house, casting a spell that lit up the area. “They… The last dragon heart is gone. I’m sorry, I’ll try and find an alternative market—”

“Kei…”

“—I think the black market in the neighbouring town might have one, hopefully—”

“Kei, stop.”

“—I’ll prepare dinner now, though I should probably inform Yamaguchi that he need not come over since I’m back—”

“ _Kei!_ ”

It was a tone that froze Tsukishima in his step and brought a heavy silence to the room, a tone so firm yet filled with a gentleness that reminded Tsukishima of what Akiteru was. His beloved older brother. Tsukishima stood rigid by the foot of Akiteru’s bed, clenched fists trembling slightly by his sides. “Come ‘ere… Please, just talk to me…”

Akiteru felt his chest ache when he watched Tsukishima dejectedly shuffle over to his bedside with his gaze casted low. Seating himself down on the chair by Akiteru’s bed, Tsukishima bent over to rest his head on the mattress, quietly sighing when calloused fingers carded through his short hair. “Tell me everything from the beginning!”

With a huff, Tsukishima began recounting his story from the time he arrived in that one town where he met the most ridiculous duo, to how he was begged to heal one of those reckless idiots, to the day he was enough of an idiot himself to agree to tag along with _him_ , and to how he eventually grew to like _him_. Tsukishima mentioned the fight he had with _him_ and it pained Akiteru so much to hear how miserable Tsukishima sounded.

“Wow, you really had quite an adventure! And… You should have gone with that warrior if you like him so much. Kei, sometimes you need to be a little more selfish.”

“I’m already plenty selfish if you haven’t noticed. I just want you to be able to lead your life normally again…”

Akiteru just made a small noise of disapproval, roughly ruffling up Tsukishima’s hair till he had to swat the offending limb away. “And I just want you to be happy! Listen, don’t be like Nii-chan who let something precious go and regret after that, okay?”

“You mean _someone_?” The playful smirk returned to Tsukishima’s lips, backing away when Akiteru tried to smack him.

“You’re terrible, Kei!” Akiteru suddenly doubled over in mid-laughter, clutching at his chest with a muffled groan. “I-I’m fine! This, it’s normal…”

Tsukishima could only ease the pain just a little with a spell, tucking Akiteru in to rest once he had relaxed a little. “I’ll definitely break the curse…”

 

 

“Are you sure we’re at the right place?”

“Yeah! Pretty sure! What, you don’t trust me?” Saeko crossed her arms as she hummed, scanning the area for anyone she could get a hold of. “It’s been a long time since I saw him but I think he should still be living here! Look, I’m just as worried about that silly Ryuu, running off like that. But there’s no point losing your head over it!”

“Uhm…”

Saeko and Nishinoya whipped their heads round to the source of the voice at the same time, a wide grin surfacing. At last, someone to talk to! Nishinoya hopped over to shake the freckled boy’s hands, unaware of how uncomfortable he was with the sudden attention.

“Do you need some help?... Oh, I’m Yamaguchi, by the way!”

Saeko tugged Nishinoya back by his collar, jabbing a finger to his chest. “This here is Nishinoya and I’m Saeko! We were wondering if Tsukishima stays in this town!”

Yamaguchi’s brows rose at the mentioning of the name as he fervently nodded. It had been a long time since any outsiders requested to see any of them, not since they kept turning down requests after their parents passed on. “Yea, Tsukki does! He just returned two days ago— Ah wait, which Tsukishima might you be asking for?”

“Both!” They exclaimed simultaneously, each looping an arm round Yamaguchi’s shoulders. “Lead the way!”

 

 

Tsukishima sneezed, almost dropping the glass jar in his hand. “… This place is getting dusty…”

Akiteru just laughed as he stretched his arms over his head, thankful that it was less painful that day. “You just cleaned the entire house yesterday!”

“I didn’t really—Ah, I’ll get the door.”

“Obviously.”

The knock on the door had cut him off midsentence and as soon as he opened, the temptation to slam it shut was growing stronger with each second.

And he did.

“Kei, who’s outside?”

“No one!” Nope. Nope! This was not happening. Nishinoya was here, and so was Tanaka’s sister. Did that mean Tanaka was here as well? He didn’t see him though, only Yamaguchi…

“Yooo Akiteru! You there?! It’s me! Y’know, Saeko! The one who went on that one raid with you! Do ya remember me?!” Saeko yelled past the door, impatiently pacing around the front to see if there were any windows she could climb through.

If Akiteru could jump out of bed, he would with the way he violently flinched, the pallor of his cheeks dissipating to give way to a brilliant red hue. “No way, Tanaka Saeko, she’s here?! Wait, her brother is the one you like?!”

“Huh, so the one you were talking about letting someone precious go and regretting… It was her, I see.”

“N-No it’s not like that! Stop teasing your brother!”

“Tsukki?... Can you let us in? T-They just want to talk!” Yamaguchi honestly did not want to be caught up it in, not when he had two people screaming in his ear and a grumpy Tsukishima to add on to that.

Reluctantly opening the door, Tsukishima barely got a word out when Saeko and Nishinoya came rushing in, heading straight to where Akiteru was. “Aki! Looking good as ever!”

“S-Saeko-san!... It’s been a while…” Akiteru’s gaze flickered over to where Tsukishima stood, sending a silent plea to his younger brother which was promptly ignored with a knowing smirk. “Why are you here?”

“Well… Some shit happen, and coincidentally, or fate, brought us here!” Dropping herself onto the edge of Akiteru’s bed, Nishinoya took over the conversation though it was mostly directed at Tsukishima.

“After your fight with Ryuu, he felt really really _really_ bad and he wanted to make it up to you so I told him to get you something, and he went and suggested something outrageous like a dragon’s heart!”

“What?!” With hands fisted in Nishinoya’s shirt, Tsukishima flared up at the blacksmith with a rare simmering rage that had Yamaguchi recoiling fearfully. “And you let him?!”

“O-Oi! I tried to talk him out of it but he was too insistent! And he even sneaked out without telling us so that I couldn’t follow him!”

Tsukishima dropped Nishinoya in favour of pinching the bridge of his nose, regretting how he let his anger get the better of him. Tanaka truly was the most foolish person he had ever met. He wasn’t worth Tanaka’s effort at all, and to go so far just for him was suicidal.

“Tsukki… I think you should go after him. The area where the dragon lies isn’t too far from here so you might be able to catch up!”

“Yamaguchi’s right, you should get going before nightfall!”

Tsukishima was never more surprised when his brother and even Yamaguchi encouraged him to face what might possibly be his death if he didn’t manage to get to Tanaka before he confronted the dragon. “Should I be worried that no one is stopping me?”

Akiteru only grinned, triumphantly folding his arms. “Do you want us to?”

 _… I suppose not._ “Then please take care of my brother while I’m gone…” Tsukishima politely bowed before turning to grab his satchel, anxiously packing whatever he might need before sprinting out the front door.

“Guess now we have time to catch up, huh?”

Akiteru’s confident grin faltered under the radiance that Saeko gave off and his heart nearly stopped. “Y-Yeah…”

 

 

Tsukishima held out a marked stone, muttering out a short incantation to call out his familiar. A huge raven as dark as the void swooped down from the heavens with a shrill cry filling the air before it landed in front of Tsukishima, head bowed for him to gently stroke it. “Thank you for heeding my call… You know where I need to go, take me there.” Climbing onto the raven’s back, they took off into the sky past the town and over the canopy of the forest. A river came into view and the raven glided over the surface before regaining altitude once again for a few more minutes before it had to land. “The forest’s too dense here for you to go on. I’ll call you again once I’m ready.” The bird gave a subtle nod before it took off, disappearing into the clouds.

Tsukishima wasn’t too familiar with the area and he didn’t know whether to be thankful or not when he heard a loud roar resonating through the forest, sounding eerily like a dragon. “Damn it, didn’t make it in time…” Tsukishima cursed his luck as he bolted down the uneven dirt path, venturing deeper into the forest where the signs of destruction began.

Broken branches scattered the area and further down, deep claw marks were found on fallen trees. Eventually Tsukishima had to stop to catch his breath and then he heard it again, an anguished roar followed by human cry that sounded too familiar for comfort. He came to a clearing with boulders spread across the area, and in its centre was a dragon that looked worse for wear with torn wings and severe gashes all over, and it loomed over—Oh no.

Tanaka laid unmoving on the ground, patches of fresh blood evident even from where he stood and his sword—

Where was Tanaka’s beloved sword—

Tsukishima took another step closer, only to have his foot tripping over said weapon. “Tanaka, get up! Can’t you hear me?! Get up you idiot!”

There was still no response and Tsukishima was beginning to panic, memories of his fallen parents flashing vividly through his mind. Please don’t… “Get up, please! Tanaka! Ryuu! You’re not going to die in this shithole!”

All the yelling began to turn the dragon’s attention over to Tsukishima instead and a dreadful fear rose from within, his voice suddenly lodged in his throat in the face of a beast that was almost three times his size. There was no time to be afraid but Tsukishima couldn’t stop his hands from trembling, having never been in such a situation before unlike Tanaka or his brother. Tsukishima knew he had to fight back and to do that, he had to remain calm, reign in his fear and take control. He took in a shaky breath and slowly exhaled, aware of the fact that the dragon was prowling closer with bared teeth.

Magic was always at its strongest when concentrated at a point like a staff, or a wand which Yamaguchi used but Tsukishima never really had a need for it since his powers were enough for weak monsters. Glancing down at the sword, Tsukishima had an idea and quickly grabbed the hilt, heaving up the heavy blade. “Sorry Tanaka… I hope it doesn’t break.” Normal items usually broke when infused with magic but this was an emergency…

With a determined gaze, Tsukishima stared straight into the dragon’s slit pupils as he chanted one of his familiar fire spells, the blade glowing fiery crimson before shooting out a blast of flames aimed directly at one of the open wounds. The recoil sent Tsukishima crashing into the bushes but he scrambled out to get closer, dragging the heavy sword across the gravelly surface and swinging it, muttering out another spell that sent out bursts of blue and red at the beast before it could recover and counter.

Pained screeches cut through the air as the dragon flailed wildly, enraged by the pain inflicted from the slashes and burns. Tsukishima stumbled back to avoid the clawed limb that swept past him, only for him to lose balance and fall backwards, scraping his arms against the sharp rocks. “Damn it,” Tsukishima cursed, the tremble in his hands returned once the adrenaline subsided, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. “T-Tanaka!”

He was already exhausted with all the physical and mental exertion but he forced himself to get up, clambering over a boulder to kneel beside the unconscious warrior. “Open your eyes… Tanaka…” Tsukishima whispered, voice fearfully hushed as he delicately checked the wounds, deeming it safe enough for Tsukishima to lug Tanaka over to a small alcove a short distance away as a temporary shelter. Tsukishima winced when he accidentally dropped Tanaka a little more roughly than he should though guilt was the least of his worries.

“Serves you right… Making everyone worry… You’re so fucking stupid, you know that? Running off to fight the dragon alone… What do you think… Y-Your sister or Noya would feel?... Or… Me…” Tsukishima rubbed away the tears that trickled down his cheeks, vision blurry from physical exhaustion and mostly mana drainage. As he rummaged through his bag, Tsukishima prepared the healing mixture and carefully applied it to the more severe wounds, all while willing his hands to stop shaking.

“You’re not going to die, okay? You’ll be fine… We’ll go back and I can watch and laugh as Saeko and Noya kick your ass for being so irresponsible… So just… Please… Stay…” The throbbing in his head wouldn’t stop, and he kept stumbling over the basic healing spells till he punched the ground in frustration, further aggravating his own wounds as choked sobs spilled past his lips. Tanaka almost died that day, and Tsukishima himself would have died too if he had just made one misstep, or stayed frozen from the start till the dragon mauled him.

“I’m pathetic.” He bitterly laughed, tiredly raising his head to stare at how calm Tanaka seemed amidst the aftermath of the chaos, at how… Quiet it was. Just as he was done with the last of the healing spells, another frenzied cry sounded from behind and Tsukishima turned round with a broken gasp. The dragon wasn’t as dead as Tsukishima thought it was and he had been so concentrated in patching Tanaka up that he didn’t notice the beast slowly skulking towards them with its claws raised and ready to strike. It was just as desperate to live as he was but it was either him or the dragon, and Tsukishima was not going to let it win.

The sword was too far away for him to reach and while his life did not flash before his eyes like he heard it would, only a memory of a particular spell came to mind. One which he muttered softly under his breath, for it was not something that should be heard by just anyone, nor spoken freely from just anyone’s lips.

Or at least that was what his mother taught him.

A firestorm as red as the evening sky engulfed the dragon as it screamed, skin crackling under the intense heat until there was only silence, leaving behind the charred remains of the dragon and its surroundings. Fatigue finally washed over Tsukishima and just as he returned to Tanaka’s side with a hand outstretched to reach for Tanaka’s own, the world turned dark and Tsukishima collapsed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of their adventure!

The beginnings of the morning soon arrived, a blend of pink and amber hued rays peeking over the distant hills, spilling through the forest and into the small space where Tsukishima and Tanaka laid. Drops of morning dew dripped rhythmically onto Tanaka’s head and his brows furrowed at the chill, eyes slowly blinking open enough to make out the rocky ceiling above him. “W-What?...” His voice came out scratchy, throat parched after not having drunk anything since the previous day. He was still in a daze but as the memories came rushing back, Tanaka shot up, only to have a sharp pain spark throughout his body and he ended up back on the ground. It was only then he realised he had another hand in his, skin smooth and fingers slender, almost like…

Steel-grey hues travelled over the body beside and a mix of fear and confusion took over, stomach turning at the thought of what could have happened during the time he had blacked out. “Tsukishima?!” Why was he here? How did he find him? “H-Hey please tell me you’re alive!” Tsukishima began to stir at that point and the moment Tanaka’s concerned face came to view, the first thing Tsukishima did was get up and slap him.

“What was that for?!”

“You asshole! Do you know what kind of danger you got yourself into?! Do you know how worried I—Noya and your sister were?! If I… If I didn’t arrive in time… You would have been that dragon’s lunch! And… I really would never see you again…”

Tanaka knew he had been rash in coming alone and while he thought he knew the consequences and impact, the warrior only just realised the extent of it. “Oh god, I’m so sorry… Please don’t cry, Tsukishima!...” Mindful of the dried blood on his hands, Tanaka carefully swiped the briny tears that tracked down Tsukishima grimy cheeks, leaning in for a kiss to stop the blonde from worrying his lips with his teeth. “I’m alive now, all thanks to you!”

“Just barely.” Tsukishima growls against Tanaka’s dry lips, pushing him back to check on his wounds which seemed to have reopened. “Shit. Argh just lie down and stop moving so much.” Tanaka was too pale for his liking, the blood loss taking its toll. His mana hadn’t quite replenished but it was probably enough to get by for a few healing spells and runes.

“Didn’t peg you as a fire user,” Tanaka began, relaxing himself under the care of Tsukishima. He noticed the barbequed dragon outside and pieced two and two together, pride welling within him at how incredible Tsukishima must have been. “Thought you might be like an ice mage or something.”

“Again with the stereotypical thoughts. Is it because of my supposedly frosty personality, or my cold attitude perhaps?”

“Nah, it’s because you’re so cool.”

Tsukishima’s hands froze in place for a second before he settled them down in his lap just to take a moment to process. The scarlet blush that rose and seared through his cheeks burned under his skin, the addition of Tanaka’s scrutiny unhelpful in his attempt to calm himself. “Stop being so embarrassing.”

Tanaka only grinned in response though it came out more of a grimace when Tsukishima continued applying a medicinal paste onto the huge gash on his abdomen. “Hey, you’re injured too, you should take care of those first.”

“They’re just cuts and scrapes. I won’t die from these. You on the other hand…” The hand that encircled his thin wrist felt so warm, so full of life. It was a stark contrast to the state Tanaka was in just hours ago and just the thought was enough to make his blood run cold. “Can you stand? We just need to get to the edge of the clearing just a little further out from here then I can call my familiar to pick us up.”

Like an easily excitable child, Tanaka beamed at the mentioning of a familiar and soon began the barrage of question which Tsukishima casually ignored in favour of helping Tanaka to his feet. After much hustling, they managed to hobble out of the cave with Tanaka leaning heavily on the mage who was struggling under the weight.

“About that day, I—”

“Don’t.”

“I just!—”

“Not now! Okay?... Once you’re better, we can talk about it.” Spotting the warrior’s sword, Tsukishima painstakingly reached over to grab it and awkwardly sheathed it back onto Tanaka’s waist. Truthfully, he wasn’t ready for a proper heart-to-heart talk just yet, especially in a situation like this and he would do all he could to avoid it.

Just like he did with every other problem he had.

“Wait, wait! The dragon heart! You have to get it, do that magical thing you did with the core!”

“… You need immediate treatment, I’m not wasting anymore time.” It hurt to see his goal so close yet so far but… a life was more important. The healing he had done wasn’t enough; Tsukishima didn’t have the proper materials and they were all back home.

Tsukishima suddenly felt himself being shoved aside, stumbling a distance as he saw Tanaka topple against a boulder for leverage. “Get the fucking heart, Tsukishima! I didn’t come all this way to get my stomach ripped out for nothing!” Tanaka hissed through gritted teeth, hesitantly looking down at the newly reopened wounds. “Don’t even say a damn thing, shush! Heart, get it!”

_Idiot idiot idiot_! Tsukishima brought out a white stone and began to draw a circle over the charred skin where the heart was, following up with various symbols required for the extraction. A faint light emitted from the circle as Tsukishima chanted a spell and he could feel his mana draining fast. Once the heart—still and warm—was in his hands, he wrapped it in a cloth and slipped it into his bag.

“Come on, we’re getting out of here, you insolent prick.” With Tanaka’s arm soundly round his shoulder, they finally headed out, but barely minutes later, Tsukishima felt Tanaka’s weight begin to bear down on him.

“Oi, stay awake! Tanaka!” It was a struggle trying to move with deadweight, especially when Tsukishima himself was exhausted. Slapping Tanaka lightly across his cheeks, Tsukishima called out his name once more, heaving a sigh of relief when grey eyes blinked open.

“’M… awake. Yeah…” The sound of branches crunching under them and the laboured pants from Tsukishima easily lulled Tanaka into the darkness but he continued to persist. “Tsukishima… I really like you…”

“Not now, Tanaka.”

“Yes now, if I…” The glare Tsukishima sent his way wasn’t enough for him to bite his tongue. “I just want you to know you’re perfect to me...”

“Tch, look, we’re here, we can talk once— Tanaka?...” Tanaka was limp in his grasp and no matter how much Tsukishima called out for him, he was only greeted with silence. “No no stay with me, come on, Tanaka, you’re stronger than this!” Summoning his raven once more, Tsukishima made haste in getting Tanaka onto its back before he climbed on himself. “Home. As fast as you can.” Understanding the urgency in his words, the raven took off into the sky, heading on a straight route till Tsukishima’s house came into view.

“They’re back!” Nishinoya yelled, darting out of the house to welcome them though his excitement morphed into dread when he saw the state they were in. With Saeko and Nishinoya carrying Tanaka over to an empty bed, Yamaguchi slid up beside him and pressed a small bottle of blue liquid into Tsukishima’s hand.

“It’s a mana regeneration potion… You used that spell didn’t you?” Yamaguchi didn’t need to hear an answer to know that Tsukishima did, his golden eyes dull from the aftereffects that using such a powerful spell brought.

Downing the bitter drink, Tsukishima leaned heavily against his freckled friend with a tired sigh. “I thought I was going to lose him…”

“But you didn’t! There’s still hope Tsukki! O-Okay, go rest and replenish your mana!” Puffing out his chest, Yamaguchi rolled up his sleeves and pushed Tsukishima into a separate room. “I’ll get Yachi and we’ll handle things from here! Once you’re back in action, you can take over!”

“… Thanks Yamaguchi. I mean it.” Tsukishima didn’t know what he did to deserve such an angel and when Yachi moved into their town and became even closer friends with them, he began to wonder even more what they saw in him.

“Woah, Tsukki, you’re actually being nice! I really think you need to rest now.”

Tsukishima felt the corners of his lips quirk in amusement. “Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry not sorry, Tsukki~”

 

 

A bright light filled his vision and the warmth that heated his face made Tanaka wonder if this was the afterlife, the road where he had to cross to get to wherever heaven or hell was.

His peace did not last however, when a sharp prod against his arm jolted him awake and the light turned out to be the morning rays streaming through the window, shining directly onto his face. It took a minute for Tanaka to recollect his thoughts and remember the series of events that led up to that point, and once he did, he sprang up out of habit and almost jumped out of bed if it wasn’t for a firm grip on his forearm. “What the hell! Get back in bed you fool!”

Tanaka snapped his head to the voice and with a grin, he pulled Tsukishima into a tight hug. “Oh Tsukishima, I miss you so much!…”

“How do you think everyone feels huh?!” During the few days of unconsciousness, Tsukishima had been tending to Tanaka’s wounds, and with the proper materials around, he managed to stabilise Tanaka’s condition with ease. The wounds that would have taken weeks to recover, were completely healed within two days and Tanaka never felt better in his life.

“Ryuu! You ass! Welcome back to the world of the living!”

“Noya-san please do not jump on him, his—never mind.”

Nishinoya leapt onto the bed, tackling Tanaka back down just as Saeko strode in looking positively relieved. “Good to see you alive and kicking! Though I really ought to kick you down a notch or two with that worrying behaviour of yours.”

Tanaka visibly paled and it was clear Saeko had carried out that threat before. “It won’t happen again! Good thing Tsukishima came, we make a great team, don’t we?”

As though on cue, both their smiles faded as the memory of their fight returned, the awkwardness settling back like a thick fog. It was something Tsukishima had been trying to evade but Akiteru was having none of it, stepping into the room with a hand firmly squeezing his little brother’s shoulder. “I think the both of you should take a walk. Tanaka here would want to stretch out his legs, wouldn’t he? Hm?”

“Nii-chan please—”

“Yes! Let’s take a walk!” Flinging Nishinoya off him, Tanaka shot out of bed with Tsukishima in tow and they only came to a stop once the front door closed behind them. “That was your brother, wasn’t he?”

“Yes?...”

“Oh no, I probably left a terrible impression of him! I’ve been unconscious for days! In your house!”

“And in my bed. I had to sleep on the couch.”

“In your bed?! Well shit he hates me now I bet. I feel like a freeloading asshole!” Tanaka groaned as he buried his hands in his face, desperately wondering if there was any magic to turn back time. “Guess I’ll just have to get back in your good books before I try and please him.”

“You don’t need to go through so much effort. It’s not like he’ll hold a grudge against you.”

Tanaka let out another groan, though much louder than before. Did Tsukishima not get it? “That’s not the point, I thought you were smarter than this!” He held out a hand to Tsukishima’s face when he was about to protest, lowering it so that he could loosely intertwine their fingers together. Gently swinging their arms as they strolled down the path, Tanaka wondered how he should go about with their talk. It was obvious that Tsukishima was trying to skirt around the topic for one reason or another but Tanaka had every intention of bringing it to light, whether Tsukishima liked it or not. “I like you a lot. You know that right? I wouldn’t just try and fight a dragon straight away for just anyone.”

“Oh really? I wouldn’t have known, especially with that time you recklessly picked a fight with the behemoth.”

“Oh come on! It was _one_ time!”

“One time too many.”

The little smile that cracked past those lips made Tanaka’s heart thump a little quicker, a beaming smile stretching across his features and he gave the lithe fingers in his hands a squeeze. “I’d tell you I want to spend the rest of my life with you but knowing you, you would probably be like ‘oh Ryuu-kun, I’ve only known you for a while, how could I dedicate my life to you?’ or something.”

Tsukishima looked absolutely appalled, brows scrunched up in a disgusted frown. “I _do not_ sound like that. At all!”

Before Tanaka could get in another terrible impersonation, a voice light and chirpy like wind chimes tangled in a soft breeze called out to them. “Tsukishima-kun! Oooh Tanaka-san! It’s good to see you’ve made a full recovery! O-Oh um I’m Yachi, just a regular villager here ah I mean I’m an elf but I moved here a few months ago but—Ahhh I ended up rambling again… Wait.” The elf’s shoulder tensed and she gasped, complexion paling even more than it usually was when she saw their clasped hands. “Oh no am I disturbing you?! I’m so sorry, how could I be so thoughtless!—”

“… Yachi-san.”

“—WHAT HAVE I DONE DID I RUIN A MOMENT OH NO— Many apologies ohhh nooo…. how can I make it up to you two… Oh Oh! I just remembered! I w-wanted to give these to you!” Reaching into her basket, Yachi pulled out two flower crowns made with daisies and magnolias, tip-toeing and stretching as high as she could just to place it atop their heads with a giggle before skipping off in the direction of Yamaguchi’s home. “I wish the both of you eternal happiness and the strength to overcome any obstacle you face!”

“Uhm? That was really sweet but what was that about?” It seemed like a friendly gesture from Tsukishima’s friend but judging by the furious tint of red smeared across cheeks to the tips of his ears that contrasted nicely with the pale flowers, that wasn’t the case. “Tsukishima? Is there some sort of symbolic meaning? Come on, you’re completely red, I know there’s somethin’ behind it!”

“It’s an elf custom… to exchange flower crowns between lovers.” Tsukishima tried to walk away, tried his best to look anywhere except at Tanaka, only to painfully come to a halt when their tightly laced hands kept him from going any further. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, since we’re humans. Their traditions don’t—”

“Y’know, I thought you felt the same way I did.”

Tsukishima spun round, lips pursed in a tight line. His chest tightened at how hurt Tanaka sounded, as if it didn’t pain him just as much. “I do!”

“Then why the hell are you resisting so much?!”

Why indeed. Why? Did he think he wasn’t good enough for such a noble character like Tanaka? Probably. Did he feel overwhelmed by all the foreign emotions—some that made his heart flutter, and some that brought an inexplicable warmth from within—that were all muddled up inside? Possibly. “It’s like you said, we barely know each other. How can you call this love? I saved your life, sure. What you feel for me, aren’t you mistaking it for gratitude? Perhaps a strange sort of fondness? If somebody else had been in my place, you would have fallen for them just the same.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Tanaka was brutally honest in admitting so, but he quickly continued when Tsukishima’s shoulders slumped ever so subtly. “But _you_ were the one I met, the one who saved my ass and the one I fell in love with! All this crap talk about gratitude and fondness, you’re just over complicating things! I mean yeah I’m grateful and I’m damn fond of you, but I feel more than just that!”

Tsukishima kept his silence, even when Tanaka stopped ranting to adjust the crooked crown of flowers atop the head of soft blonde curls. He watched as a lopsided smile formed on Tanaka’s face, the calloused pad of his thumb smoothing over a knuckle in reassurance. Tanaka had no qualms about using physical contact as a means to get his point across and it was unquestionably working on Tsukishima. He fiddled with the flower crown longer than he needed to, and Tsukishima could feel a slight quiver when Tanaka hesitantly lowered his hand to cup Tsukishima’s face.

“Give me a chance, Tsukishima. We can take all the time to nurture these feelings and get to know each other! This way it’s fine, right?”

The hopeful gleam in steel-grey eyes was too hard to push away and Tsukishima closed the gap between them, leaning in till their noses bumped. “… It’s more that fine.”

Then their lips sealed together, akin to a promise hidden under the shade of sprawling branches accompanied by the distant rustle of leaves. If their first kiss felt like morning sunshine and sweet dew drops, then this second kiss reminded them of a saccharine fragrance from blooming spring flowers lingering in the air.

“So… We’re dating for real now right?” Tanaka breathlessly whispered with a contagiously eager grin, pumping a fist into the air when Tsukishima nodded with an amused roll of his eyes.

“Ah, but you have yet to properly meet my brother, haven’t you?”

Tsukishima never saw Tanaka drained of all colour so quickly.

 

 

“Guess this means the both of you got everything sorted, huh?”

While Saeko and Nishinoya had been extremely accepting of Tsukishima, more so than the mage ever expected, Tanaka didn’t have as much luck with Akiteru.

“Y-Yes sir!” He was a warrior for heaven’s sake, courageous and fairly strong if he would say so himself. But here he was, nervous (read: quaking in his boots) about meeting his boyfriend’s older brother which was equivalent to a meeting with the parents so perhaps his fear wasn’t unfounded.

Tsukishima only sighed as he watched the scene unfold. “Nii-chan…”

“No Kei, you mustn’t spoil him! This is a rite of passage one must go through if they want to date my precious baby brother!” Turning back to face Tanaka with folded arms and the most intimidating glare he could muster, Akiteru gave the warrior a critical onceover. “So! You risked your life to try and curry back Kei’s favour and to indirectly help me. I suppose that earns you some points.”

“It’s not just because I wanted to please him! I would have done so even if we didn’t have that fight! Because I knew how much you meant to him!” Tanaka was blurting out his answers, hoping it would satisfy Akiteru and somehow it did, with Akiteru giving a contemplative nod.

“If Kei and your sister fell into the sea, who would you save if you could only rescue one?”

Tsukishima flung his hands up in exasperation before burying his face in them. “Nii-chan seriously, stop!”

“I’d save them both! And I won’t give up until I make sure both are safe! Sis can swim so I can dedicate more energy to helping Tsukishima but I bet he has an amazing arsenal of spells to get us out of that situation.”

“I know right, Kei’s incredible with the magic he can do!”

Both their eyes lit up at the mentioning of a Tsukishima Kei who had already given up and left the room. “Yeah! He’s so talented with healing and potions and he even managed to finish off a dragon even though he said his offensive spells aren’t as good!”

“Kei’s just being humble as usual, he’s definitely got our parents’ genes with how adept he is with magic—damn it, I strayed off topic! Tanaka Ryuunosuke!”

“Yes!”

Akiteru paced up and down the room, rigid gaze back on the warrior. “Do you solemnly swear to protect and love Kei with all your heart?”

Thumping a fist over his chest, Tanaka confidently declared, “I do!”

Akiteru considered himself a good judge of character and it was clear Tanaka loved his brother dearly, with unwavering answers and clear eyes. It almost made him shed a tear to know there was someone who appreciated Kei for who he was, with his… endearing attitude and all. Like the fresh air that comes after a thunderstorm, all the tension suddenly dissipated and the kind smile befitting of an older brother returned. “Well then, I approve! Go forth and date my brother! But…” Akiteru slung a toned arm over Tanaka’s shoulder, pressing close to quietly mutter, “… If I hear one complain about you from Kei or if he even sheds one tear because of you… I’ll have you know that despite my code as a knight, family comes first. You know what I mean right?”

“Okay Nii-chan, I think that’s enough!” Tsukishima had returned to see Tanaka in an almost-chokehold and he really wanted his boyfriend back in one piece, both physically and mentally.

“Ahaha, sorry sorry!” Releasing his hold, Akiteru gave a pat on Tanaka’s shoulder for good measure before nudging him towards Tsukishima. “What are you plans now?”

The new couple exchanged glances, a faint blush dusting their cheeks when they realised they still had the flower crowns on. “Uh I… I was planning on taking up some other hunting jobs and I was going to ask if Tsukishima would come along with me.”

Tsukishima seemed conflicted, though it was obvious he wanted to go with Tanaka. Of course, Akiteru knew exactly what was holding his brother back. “Don’t worry about Nii-chan here! I’m all recovered thanks to the both of you, aren’t I? Go with Tanaka and see the world, experience the thrill of travelling! Just make sure to come back and visit me from time to time. Hopefully when I’m not on a quest of course.”

“Your brother won’t be lonely, that’s for sure! Especially when we’re going on a raid for old times’ sake!” Saeko interrupted as she burst into the room with Nishinoya in tow, bumbling with excitement.

With a slackened jaw and confusion evident on his features, Akiteru only helplessly stood by as Nishinoya busied himself with getting Akiteru’s gear battle-ready. “… W-Why am I only hearing about this now?”

“Because I just planned it, silly! I’ll contact some of our old mutual friends and it’ll be a proper adventure!”

“Eh but sis, wouldn’t you rather just be alone together on your date?” The teasing remark earned Tanaka a solid smack on his back and a threatening smile from Saeko.

“Ahaha be quiet, Ryuu!” _Or else_.

 

 

A week of preparation had been ample time for Tsukishima to pack and what he expected to be a solitary affair ended up with the inclusion of Yachi and Yamaguchi fussing over him. “My magic bag can only hold so much, Yamaguchi. I have more than— what are these?” If Yamaguchi was trying to sneak in books, he wasn’t being very subtle with it. “These… are books about learning how to use a sword. More specifically, a rapier. Explain.”

Shifty glances were exchanged between Yamaguchi and Yachi, words tumbling clumsily past their lips as they tried to explain and in the end, Tsukishima had to cup a hand over their mouths just to stop them. “One at a time.”

“Well uhm…” Yachi began, absentmindedly twirling a loose thread from her dress round her finger. “Y-You mentioned that you used Tanaka-san’s sword as a medium to amplify the power of your spells, and…”

“We thought if you ever had to encounter such a situation again, it would be better to be prepared!” Nodding to Yachi who scurried into the other room and came back carrying the sword wrapped in a dark cloth. “Yachi and I… We kinda collaborated with Nishinoya! He wanted to thank you for all that you did so this was the perfect opportunity!”

The elf excitedly unravelled the cloth, and they pushed it into Tsukishima’s arms with bated breaths. Yamaguchi had scrambled to procure the items needed while Yachi handled the design aspect of it, giving it an elven touch. Nishinoya dropped all his other projects to complete the forging of the rapier and even took the time to secretly deliver it to Yachi. “It’s really light and it can definitely handle magic infusion so it’s perfect!”

“Plus it would look really cool on you, Tsukki!”

Tsukishima drew the sword to examine it, gaze trailing over the intricately designed hilt, up to the thin blade that glinted under the light. The workmanship was exquisite and Tsukishima would never have guessed it was Nishinoya’s handiwork. Tsukishima wasn’t quite sure how to react to such a touching gesture, his voice catching in the back of his throat as he tried to formulate the words. He didn’t want to sound too sentimental nor too rude so he settled for just a word of thanks, knowing Yamaguchi and Yachi would be ecstatic even over such a simple response.

“Thanks… I really appreciate it.”

“Oh Tsukishima-kun… I… I think I’m going to cry! In happiness! Happy tears!” Tears were already beginning to well up in her eyes and somewhere along the way, Yamaguchi gave a little sniffle, one that Tsukishima knew all too well was the start of an all-out bawling.

“Please stop, you guys are embarrassing.” Hearing a knock on the door, Tsukishima took the chance to escape any possible crying and once he opened it, a pair of familiar arms engulfed him in a tight embrace, a loud kiss pressed to his forehead.

“So did you like the rapier?”

Tsukishima frowned, lightly nudging Tanaka back so that he could try and look annoyed. Was he the only one in the dark about it? “You knew?”

“Uh. Yeah. But not till a few days ago! Your brother was the one who decided on the type of sword!”

With a sharp huff of breath, Tsukishima attached the sheathed rapier to his belt, turning round to retrieve his bag that Yachi held out for him. “Guess this was the surprise he was talking about while he was crying his eyes out before he left with Saeko huh?”

“W-We’re going to miss you, Tsukki…” Yamaguchi hiccupped in between sobs, leaning his head onto Yachi’s small shoulders while she gently threaded finger through Yamaguchi’s hair, holding back tears of her own. It was a strange sight, one that Tsukishima found far too endearing to even mock and with an awkward hug and many farewells later, they were off on an adventure of their own.

As they headed off the beaten path into unknown territories, Tanaka peered at Tsukishima from the side, unable to stop the little smile that tugged at his lips. After years of exploring and fighting on his own, having an ally, a boyfriend, a companion for life… It just felt so surreal.

“What are you staring at?”

“At how amazingly gorgeous you are.” Tanaka winked, his grin widening when Tsukishima cracked a smile despite his efforts to look serious. “Damn I’m lucky.”

“Damn right you are. And guess what, we’re not climbing over a stupid mountain like the other time. Instead…” With the marked stone in hand, whispers of a summoning spell sent a gust of wind whipping round them and Tanaka jumped back to make way for the large raven that landed in front of them. “I hope you don’t get airsickness.”

“Woah, sweet! I guess this is when our adventure really starts! You ready?”

“Obviously.” Tsukishima leaned in close enough for their shoulders to bump, pinky finger hooking with Tanaka’s. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I had with writing it! Maybe leave your thoughts? ;3


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